Reclaim That Spare Room

All of us have a guilty secret lurking somewhere in our homes. It hides behind a closed door, and rarely receives any visitors. The things there have been there for years, yet nobody has used them, looked at them or even thought to discover more about them. They sit there, waiting. They’re there because you convinced yourself they would come in handy one day. But they haven’t and they won’t. They’re just blocking up your spare room!

Now is as good a time as any to get started with a clear out. Just think of all the things you could do with that space. It might be a spare room or a garage or a loft or a basement. But you can’t use it if it’s blocked up with old junk that you wish you hadn’t bought. You’ll struggle to sell your house if the room isn’t dressed for use. Space is precious so don’t give it away to things that are of no use to you. Clear it all out and let’s find a purpose for that space!

Empty?

One way to approach this project is to pull everything out where you can see it, leaving the room completely empty. Of course, this could be a hazard if it blocks up your hallways or corridors. Have a look at websites like FastSkipBinsBrisbane.com.au to see if there is a rubbish removal service to suit the sort of items you no longer want. This will clear up a fair proportion of what might be blocking up that spare room right now.

Make It Worth Your While

There is obviously going to be a fair amount of labour involved in this project so make it worth your while. Sell any items that still have some life left in them. You might have been sitting on a small fortune all these years. You could also do your bit for charity by gifting away old clothes and items too. There is no doubt that other members of the family are going to want to inspect the items first. It’s up to you if you do this alone or if you’re willing to sit for a few hours and reminisce about all the things you’re trying to get rid of.

Fit For Purpose

Once you’ve made the room empty, it’s worth having an idea about what you will use that room for. If the room continues to be spare, it might be tempting to start stowing all your junk in there again. Sure, it can have a bed that only gets used by guests, but give the room another purpose and use. Turn it into an artist’s studio, a music practice room, or a cinema room. If you’re on a health drive, make it into a home gym. And if you’re ready to start a business, then this could be the ideal home office.

Part of the fun of having a big clearout is shopping for the things you need to make it a purposeful space again. You might want a bed and a cabinet in there. Maybe a desk and a TV would be ideal. What about window dressings? Will it be blinds or drapes? Selling your old junk could raise enough funds to cover all this plus a pot of paint for decorating.

Clean It Up

After a few months, rooms tend to get a little grubby. There maybe a few cobwebs to clear, dust on the skirting board, and damage to the walls. Cleaning everything is important if you want a good finish from your decorating efforts. Minor scratches and dents on the wall can be filled quite easily. You will need to sand the wall down a little afterward. This will create a lot more mess, so be prepared for some vacuuming.

Vamp It Up

Now you’ve cleaned and cleared the room, you have a blank canvas ready for decorating. Start with the ceiling. You might want to install low wattage ceiling spots, so have a chat with your local electrician about setting that up for you. Paint the ceiling before the walls to avoid drips. If the room is big enough, you might want a feature or accent wall. Give yourself enough time to do this well, because this is the wall that people’s eyes will be drawn to. Once you finished painting the walls and the skirting boards, it’s time to choose your flooring.

If you’re turning this into a home gym, consider some special flooring to reduce the noise and impact from the equipment. A hot room might benefit from wooden flooring. Finish with an attractive rug, and your room is ready to go. What will you use your spare room for?

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Sabina is a family person through and through. Mum to her 3 'Beans' and a proud step mum it's family first here. I enjoy being outdoors with my family, dancing around the kitchen with the music turned up loud and take lots and lots of photographs.
Mummy Matters is my way of helping busy mums manage their family and home by providing help and advice on all the time-consuming areas of home life so they can focus on making memories.

2 comments

The real problem is taking the time to do it, as cleaning that extra room with all those things accumulated for years will really eat up my whole weekend and the next too I think. But the silver lining on this is that I think I have a painting lurking somewhere there which I think may cost thousands of dollars. That motivates me to partake this adventure this weekend.